The health fads everyone will remember from the ’80s

Ah, the ’80s—that era when hair was big and waistlines were small. It’s not your imagination that people were slimmer at the time: Until the mid-1980s, the number of Americans who were obese or overweight declined, before those rates began to rise steadily that has led to record levels today. It was also an era of super popular health fads that spread quickly without the benefit of the internet. Some have since been refuted by science, while others have been validated and are worth revisiting. Read on to find out more – and to ensure your health and the health of others, don’t miss these things Sure Signs You Already Have COVID.

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1. Low-fat foods

In the 1980s, dietary fat was less common than Senator Ted Cruz – it was believed that consuming any amount of fat through food leads to the development of body fat. American health experts have advised avoiding all sources of dietary fat. The low-fat food industry has boomed, introducing a range of products that contain sugar to add flavour. Four decades later, obesity in the United States is at an all-time high. This is no accident. Meanwhile, scientists have learned that products with added sugar only make us want to consume more calories, while only some fats are harmful (such as trans fats); Others are healthy, contribute to satiety and generally consume fewer calories – the key to maintaining a healthy weight or losing weight if necessary.

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2. Calisthenics

Have you ever wondered why everyone in those photos from the early ’80s looks so skinny? Remember that this was the era when 20 minutes workoutJane Fonda videos, Joanie Greggains records, movies like excellent Pop culture ruled. They were all devoted to aerobic exercise, which modern doctors and health experts translate into a universal recipe called “Move More”. Today, more of us are more sedentary than ever before, increasing the risks of a litany of chronic diseases, from obesity to heart disease and cancer to mental illness and dementia. Make fun of Polaroid Mom leg warmers at your own risk.

Related: Healthy habits that cause your body to age

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3. The Thighmaster

He debuted outside of the ’80s – but everyone who was around in the ’80s will remember him, so judge us – the Thighmaster was a fitness revolution from the 1-900s. Everyone bought one. In that era, Thighmaster and fitness videos targeting “cakes” and abs pushed the myths – or at least didn’t correct the popular belief – that you could cut back on fat. You can not. Today, we know that for optimal shaping, it’s more effective to prioritize full-body strength training and calorie-burning cardio.

Related: 5 signs of visceral fat next to a large belly

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4. Dexatrim

Weight-loss pills like Dexatrim were available over the counter — and advertised relentlessly over the airwaves — in the 1980s. Many of these pills contain harmful stimulants and stimulant-like substances such as PPA and ephedra, which have been linked to studies of heart attacks and strokes. Some of these supplements have disappeared from the market; Others have reappeared in “new formulations” with hazardous substances removed and warnings added that their potential effects were not noted by the Food and Drug Administration.

Related: Science says what happens to your body when you smoke weed

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5. Excessive dieting

In the 1980s, popular diets focused on weird routines designed to cut as many calories as possible: the cabbage soup diet, the liquid protein diet, the grapefruit diet, and many other hobbyist genres that were just a target game for the exit magazine. famine. Although it is true that eating fewer calories than you burn is an effective way to lose weight, today we know that the metabolism adapts to very low-calorie diets, causing the body to cling to fat. Plus, it can be dangerous: Many liquid protein diet aides have died of heart attacks, because their routine includes few other essential nutrients. And to beat this pandemic at your best, don’t miss these things 35 places you’re most likely to get infected with the coronavirus.

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